Automobile lock



O. S. HERSHEY AUTOMOBILE LOCK Filed Jan. 12. 1927 m; NWA- wwwa.:

-lllllmmmn NE; lliilnlum l N\ l I r um Patented Oct. 11, 1932 i ma STATES PATENT OFFICE I ORVILLE S. HERSHEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO y OAKES PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF NORTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN vAU'IO'MOBIILE LOCK Appucatin mea January 12, 1927. serial No. 160,613.

This invention relates to certain improvements in automobile locks and more particularly to locks of the type that are asso- I ciated with the steering column of a motor driven. vehicle to secure against rotation the post extending therethrough which, at vits upper end, is equipped with the usual steer- .ing wheelfgy It isa primary object of my invention to provideia lockof simple, practical and efficient construction which may be contained within a housing that surrounds the steering column of an automobile, and, if desired., be secured to a fixed part thereof, u such as the` dash rboard. It isa further 'object to associatepwith sucha lockantignition switch having an operative connection l therewithjsuch that the switch is actuated when the lock is mov-edLf And as afurther objectl of .this invention' I have devised a `mounting for the switch parts, and anassernbly thereof in operative relation, which is advantageous in several respects.l 1 Other objects of my invention will here- '25 inafter appear from the description and claims to follow wherein the present im# provements lare represented as consisting of parts constructed and arrangedin accordance with the exempliiication shown in the ac- '370 companying .drawing in the manner following: t, Y I, .y

Figure 1 Awhich is aV transverse section Vthrough the steering column shows also, 'partly yin' section, and partly iny elevation, the present. lock inoperative association therewith;I and f Y Figure 2 is .a verticalsection therethrough taken online Q-Qof Fig. 1.`

v The lock herein shown is contained within a housing A adapted .for mounting upon 1the column B which surrounds in spaced lrelation an. automobile steering post, C here represented asa tube. vInthe region of the y locl; isa collar D secured fast tothe post, *5 there being a longitudinal groove 8 formed in the collar. Since the collar is'associated with the post primarily to facilitate construction, and is to all intents and purposes a 0 part thereof, it will 'be so treated in the dea "scription 'and claims to follow; If the' ypresent lock be designed for additional connection to the automobile dash or instrument board E, a-bracket angle plate 4 may be used, one face of the plate being attached, as by screws 5, to the instrument board and the other plate face having an adjustable connection with the lock housing, as through the medium of attaching bolts 6 Which pass through slots in the plate as shown.

The mechanism contained within the housing by which the steering post may be locked against rotation may comprise parts as follows: Within a chamber which extends rearwardly from the column is slidably mounted alocking bolt 7 having at its rear `end one or more open slots 8 each accommodating a compression spring 9 which tends to urge the bolt forward through an opening 10 in the column so as to lodge within the collar groove 3. Unless otherwise restrained the locking bolt will, therefore, assume the position indicated in Fig. 1. For controlling the movements of the locking bolt I provide through its body anaperture 11 the rear side of which is fiat, and disposed therewithin is an eccentric. 12 having two angularlyrelated flat faces a and b and also a third flat face o which is aligned substantially diametrically with the axis of a rock shaft 13 on which the eccentric is formed. This rock shaft is journaled in an opening extending transversely through the housing rearwardf ly of the column, one end of the shaft being provided with an operating handle 14 which is disposed exteriorly of the lock housing.

Mounted Within the housing is a rotatable lock cylinder 15 having an entry slit 16 disposed upon the upper side of the housing for the reception of an operating key. The

lock cylinder extends within the housingy close to the rock shaft and at its inner endy is provided with Van eccentric lug 17 adapted when in one position to engage within one of three longitudinal grooves m, y and z that are formed in the rock shaft. The circumferential relation of these grooves about corresponds to that of the eccentric faces a, and 0 so that the springs 9 acting through the bolt 7 will tend to hold the rock shaft in any one of three positions wherein the lug 17 may enter one of the grooves m, y/or e.

V*The shaft is thereby locked against further rotation until the lock cylinder isiagain rotated inthe direction necessary tojdisengage Varemovable"collar 2() one end Vofwhich is V.formed with a tongue 21 adapted 'to hook .in

Y behind the rear side of a flange 22 which is v'ente'rfid'edl fromtheliousingf The opposite eiid'gof` thee collar-may be made fast "thereto Vas through the mediumof a screw bolt 23 having a countersunk head 24 as sho-wim rlic bolt Vis shown as disposed yobliquely in relation to other' parts lcontained the; housing l so Vasvto be fcompactly, accommodated there# within, and inay also be provided'l with an elbngatedannular groove E25v which lies; ad- ]a'cent't'he .periphery ofthe r'ocl'r shaft so that theorie isl in.; partial` intersection. Awith 'the other. Inassembling the 'boltrv isflirst set in place lfell-owing which the'` rocltsha'ft I is moved to its position. Theeifect of this constructi'oniS olock the boit against ,reinoval'tliereby rendering impossible the 4sep- Y eration ofthe vcollar'QO from thehousing.` The rocrzl'r-jshafti may also be heidVV against endwisedisplacement as means of'a screw v 'or 'pinnf26' tlie'zacting. end ofV which disi posed within an `annular l'g'rroove `rformed an locking bolt, preferablyat a peint between thet'wo slots V8 thereof. :The stein is slidably accommodated within af bore.;V which latyits forward ,end is enlarged to receive alsov 1a coiled spring 32 `which bears against the head y 31'so" as to urge. the stem toward the bolt at' allv times. The outer end of the .stein is fit'-y ted with an insulating cap 33.; Mounted V to bear against differentportions ofthe stein are two pins 34 and 35 which .are interposed i, in one of' the wiresof an eiectricalpcircuit, not shown, the two' pins being suitably mounted so as to be. insulated fromeach yother. andffrom they surroundingparts.VV In the i position vindicatedy `in l', the oneV pin, 34C hears against thei'iisulating cap 33" and hence is barred from. completinga 'circuit through tothe other pin..v If, however,-the rock shaft.

' 13Y be rotatedV soas to retract theloclingbolt freni the steering post, as indicated in Fig.

niitted by thebolt, be' shifted endwise t-o present a portionY of its body against the pin k34, Vthereby* completing r`the electrical circuit.; The switch so constructed may be protected within. an enclosing case 36 removably se..-

Vcuredito one end of the lock/housing.

In the presentlconstruction the assembly of theflocli and, switchparts is ffacilitatediby tially as described.,Y

reason of the removable collar 20; With this detached, Vthe switch stem and locking bolt may be inserted in place, the former being completely protected by the latter. The disassembly of these parts requires merely a reversal of Vthe* .opera-tion describedi The roclcfshaft ll'zwhich constitutes the control means forl the present lock, Vmay *assume* any one of' three positions dependingk uponwhich ofits-eccentric faces is' presen-tedto the rear side ofthebolt opening twoof these positions the bolt remains retractedso `as not toTinterfere with the steering, and in one ofl these two'k positions, the Vswitch is closed. 1in-the other of thesetwopositions. however, the switch is moved open,; as 'it is alsofin the third/'position ofthe vloclfcontroliV where the bolt vTais permitted to move into engagingv relation with the steering post. This Vaction renders it. possibleto-iiseY both the steering andy electrical circuitiny the first position, tov disable them both inthe third position, or, in the ysecond ipositionto disable operation of only the electrical circuit. kThe only switchy element'whichumdergoes movement during; these changes position.

derivesits movements directlyfromthe leciV V ing bolt with which 'y it is loosely connected at alltimes, Y f

i. A ceineidensiiisci; ia-whieh .is comb ined alocking bolt, a switch havinga part movable with :the bolt to opener close an electricalcircuit, tension means' urging the movable switchT part against the-bolt wherebythe oneniay transmit motion tothe other,

andfaineans for operating the lbolt,`; substanfy 25A .coincidental lock: in .which Lis combined; la.rlocliiiigf.bolt,y a switch` having a part unconnected with the bolt butimovable therewith to `open/for closef an electrical circuit, tension means vurging. the movable switchY part against, the boltgwhereby the'latter may transmit motionf to the Vformer, fand key-controlled means for operating the bolt. sub

stantially;v as described.:` y v y 3; coincidental'lock inwhich is vcom.- binedla recirprocable locking'bolt, a switch having apart aligned and reciprocable. with the bolt i Y cuit,t tension 2means urging thee movable switchjpart against one end ofv thezbolt whereby vthe latter may transmit motiontol the former, and means forV operating: the bolt, substantiallyfasdescribed.;V f

4c.A A coincidental lock in. which is com,h bined. al reciprocable locking Abolt,a coiled spring having .its vaxis Vparallel withl that of the bolt and inengagementtherewith to cause the bolt ,normally to advance, operating mean'sforretracting the bolt againstthe tension ofthe spring, a switch in. connection withanv electrical.V circuit, havinga reciprocable partthe movements ofwhich openv s to open` o-r close an electrical cirand -close the circuit,y the said switch part being unconnected with the bolt but adapted to receive engagement from one end thereof, and spring means associated'with the said switch part for normally projecting the same toward the bolt whereby the latter may transmit to the former a motion counter to Vthe tension of the spring associated with said switch part, substantially as described.

5. A coincidental lockk in which is combined a locking bolt having associated spring Y means which causes a one-way movement thereof, operating means for the bolt adapted to retract the same against the tension of the said spring means, a switch in connection with an electrical circuit having a movable part which opens or l closes the switch, spring means associated with said switch part and adapted to cause normally a one-way movement thereof toward the bolt, the said part being aligned with the bolt so as to' receive engagement therefrom and the bolt being adapted to transmita retractive movement to lsaid switch part counter to the tension of the spring associated therewith, substantially as described.

ORVILLE S. HERSHEY. 

